I'm interested in the developmental processes behind the switch from understanding via mental translation to near-native understanding. When people start out learning a new language, they tend to have to translate between the new language and their native language. For example, the German word "Vogel" and the English word "bird" both mean the same thing. An English speaker learning German will start out by translating "Vogel" to "bird" mentally, but can eventually just come to understand that "Vogel" refers to a winged, feathered creature (and even understand the German words for "winged" and "feathered" on the same level). I'd like to study the changes that occur in the brain as this transition takes place.

I also have a BA in philosophy, so my interest in language is broader than just its acquisition. In philosophy, linguistic precision is absolutely necessary. One of the first things philosophers do before starting a discussion is define their terms with the intent of sticking to those exact definitions. Because of that, I have actually developed an interest in the imprecision of common language. It is absolutely fascinating to me that there are so many cultural idiosyncrasies in within any given language, but communication is usually not hampered. I'm not sure exactly how I would study this from a developmental or psychological perspective, but I think I have time to figure that out.